DEXA — Bone Density & Body Composition
One machine sold for two quite different purposes, which is the source of most of the confusion around it. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry measures bone mineral density — its original, guideline-endorsed use — and also whole-body composition: fat mass, lean mass, and a modelled estimate of visceral adipose tissue. Osteoporosis is common, silent until fracture, and treatable. Visceral fat drives insulin resistance, dyslipidaemia and hepatic inflammation through portal free-fatty-acid and cytokine release. The two use cases do not carry the same weight of evidence, and packages rarely separate them.
The bone density use case is genuinely Strong: well-validated fracture-risk prediction, guideline-endorsed for screening postmenopausal women and older men. The body-composition use case marketed in longevity packages is weaker. Visceral fat measured directly by CT is an independent predictor of all-cause mortality in men, but the VAT figure a DEXA returns is a modelled estimate derived from 2D imaging rather than a direct volumetric measurement, with acknowledged limits in distinguishing visceral from other trunk fat depots compared with CT or MRI. It is a reasonable, low-radiation proxy for tracking change over time — read the specific VAT number as an estimate, not a precise clinical figure.
Visceral fat and mortality: PubMed: PMID 16571861 (Kuk JL, et al., "Visceral fat is an independent predictor of all-cause mortality in men") · Full cost breakdown & bone density vs body composition →
Singapore pricing. We have a full price breakdown for this test, using checked 2026 figures from named providers — read the price guide →